Normative Dimensions of Corporate Communication

In this chapter, it is argued that corporate communication is not an arbitrary affair, but an activity with its own intrinsic normativity. Communication is part of a creation order, which means that one has to obey specific norms and rules in order to present oneself in a convincing way. First of all, organisations need to have a clear sense of self and have to be accountable for their actions. They have to know ‘who’ they are, and to which principles they stick (directional dimension). Secondly, organisations must have a clear sense of the intrinsic good that is at stake in their professional field. They need to have a clear understanding of ‘what’ they are doing (structural dimension). Thirdly organisations must have a clear understanding of what is required in their specific context. They must have a sense of ‘why’ they exist in a particular time and place (contextual dimension). All three normative dimensions are important. If they lose sight of any one of these dimensions, organizations risk losing their credibility.